Haslem formally back on board, clearing path to sign prospects
The Miami Heat on Sunday formally announced the return of forward Udonis Haslem for a 19th season with the team.
While the signing was expected, it unlocks the rest of the team’s offseason.
Haslem become the 14th player under contract to the Heat for 202122. Once a team has at least 14 players under standard contract, it then can begin to sign prospects to what are termed Exhibit 10 contracts. Those contracts can provide a nominal guarantee and serve as a pipeline to a team’s G League affiliate, in the Heat’s case, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Teams are allowed to sign up to eight players to Exhibit 10 contracts, but cannot carry more than 20 players during the offseason.
That limit is reduced to 15 players under standard contract for the regular season, but the Heat are expected to carry only 14 to start the 2021-22 season due to their position so close to the onerous NBA luxury tax.
The Heat’s 14 players under contract, for 2021-22, all guaranteed, are: Haslem, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, P.J. Tucker, Tyler Herro, Markieff Morris, Dewayne Dedmon, Victor Oladipo, KZ Okpala, Gabe Vincent, Max Strus and Omer Yurtseven.
The Heat also are allowed to carry an additional two players under two-way contacts. Those players often are selected in training camp from players trying out under Exhibit 10 contracts.
In announcing Haslem’s return, Heat President Pat Riley issued a statement that read, “Mister Miami is back! Yes! Udonis Haslem has agreed to come back and play the game he loves so much. What he loves more than that is to be on the court teaching and competing against the World’s best. UD is a legacy player . . . … ONE PLAYER, ONE CITY, ONE TEAM. Thank you, UD, for coming back to lead again in your city, your organization and your team.”
Haslem will be entering his 15th consecutive season as Heat captain.
Haslem appeared in just one game this past season, ejected 2 minutes, 40 seconds into his season debut in the Heat’s regular-season home finale on May 13 against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 41-year-old power forward has appeared in only five games the past two seasons, and has not played more than 74 minutes in any of the last four seasons. The last time he held a rotation role was in 2014-15, when he started 25 games. He has started twice since.
Haslem again will sign a one-year deal at the NBA veteran minimum, at $2.6 million, with his contract counting against the salary cap at $1.7 million.
Provided he appears in a game in 2021-22, Haslem will become the 21st player in the NBA’s 75 seasons to play at least 19 seasons, with former Heat forward Juwan
Howard also reaching that total. The record is Vince Carter’s 22 seasons.
Haslem would become the 11th player to appear in a game at 41 or older. The oldest player to appear in an NBA game was former Heat forward Kevin Willis, at 44. The NBA formally recognizes Nat Hickey as the overall oldest player, at 45, when he played in 1945 for the Providence Steamrollers, in the Basketball Association of American, the precursor to the NBA.
An NBA champion in 2006, ’12 and ’13, Haslem, who went undrafted out of Florida in 2002, has played his entire 18-year NBA career with the Heat and holds the league’s longest active streak with a single team. He is the Heat’s all-time leader in offensive, defensive and total rebounds, and ranks second on the Heat’s lists in games played, starts and minutes.
He is the only undrafted player in NBA history to lead a franchise in total rebounds.